The Bai estate had changed.
When Bai Lianhua stepped out of the Patriarch's study, the atmosphere felt heavier—more watchful. The servants who once ignored her now bowed with stiff politeness. The air was no longer indifferent; it crackled with silent curiosity, unease, and… fear.
She didn't smile.
Let them tremble.
The news of her identity would spread through the manor like wildfire soon enough. But before that happened, there was one person she needed to see—Madam Xu, the woman who raised her like a tool, not a daughter. The one who switched her at birth and gave her place to Bai Rouxue.
And now, Lianhua remembered everything.
She walked the familiar halls like a ghost returning from hell, her expression calm—but inside, her rage coiled like a serpent waiting to strike.
She pushed open the doors to the West Wing salon.
There she was.
Madam Xu sat with Bai Rouxue, sipping tea and chatting lightly with a visiting lady from the Ning family. Rouxue wore a delicate pink dress and a practiced smile, the very image of grace and innocence.
Lianhua stepped in without a word.
Their laughter died.
The noble lady glanced between the girls, puzzled. "Ah… is this the adopted one?"
Lianhua met her eyes coolly. "Not adopted. I'm Bai Hengyuan's biological granddaughter."
The silence cracked like glass.
Madam Xu froze, the teacup trembling in her grip. Bai Rouxue's smile faltered.
The lady blinked. "What—?"
Lianhua stepped forward, her voice cutting like ice. "A mistake that's now corrected. My DNA results were confirmed by the Patriarch himself."
She turned to Bai Rouxue, locking eyes. "It's strange, isn't it? How fate brings everything back around."
Rou Xue's lips parted, but no sound came.
"Miss Bai," the noble lady stammered to Madam Xu, "I—I'll take my leave. I wasn't aware…"
She left in a rush.
As the door shut, Madam Xu's calm shattered.
"You ungrateful girl!" she hissed, rising to her feet. "What lies are you spreading in this house? We raised you—"
"As a shield for your real daughter," Lianhua interrupted, smiling faintly. "You let me be humiliated, discarded, and left to die, all while living in my place. But it's over."
Her gaze dropped to Bai Rouxue, whose fists were clenched on her lap.
"I don't blame you for being afraid," Lianhua said softly. "You should be."
Rou Xue sprang to her feet. "You think just because the old man acknowledged you, you're suddenly above me? Do you know how long I worked to—"
"To steal what was mine?" Lianhua snapped.
For a moment, the mask cracked.
Rou Xue's face twisted with something ugly—jealousy, resentment, fear.
"Everything you have is built on a lie," Lianhua said coldly. "And lies… always rot."
She turned on her heel and left, letting the weight of her words sink into their bones.
Later That Evening
The Bai estate buzzed with movement. The news had officially broken: Bai Hengyuan's real granddaughter had returned.
And Bai Ziyu had returned, too.
Lianhua stood on the steps of the east courtyard as a sleek black car pulled up. The door opened, and out stepped the man she hadn't seen in two lifetimes.
Bai Ziyu.
Sharp suit. Piercing eyes. Aura of a king who walked among mortals.
He looked at her with cool detachment. "So it's true."
She met his gaze evenly. "Yes."
A long pause.
Then, he moved closer, his presence like frost brushing against her skin.
"You're different," he murmured.
"You're observant."
A flicker of amusement danced in his eyes before vanishing. "Grandfather wants you ready by tomorrow night. A banquet will be held. You're to be introduced to society."
A banquet.
Lianhua's fingers curled.
In her past life, her engagement party turned into a nightmare. That same stage—public, glittering, poisonous—would now become the scene of her rebirth.
Let them come.
She would be ready.
Meanwhile, in a Luxurious Penthouse
Mo Chen stood by the window, staring at the message on his phone.
"The Bai family's lost daughter has returned."
He narrowed his eyes.
A memory flickered—long dark hair, fierce eyes filled with pain as she collapsed in the rain.
He had seen her once. In her previous life. He hadn't helped her.
Regret stirred in his chest, unfamiliar and bitter.
He picked up his phone and called his assistant.
"Prepare the car. I'll attend the Bai family banquet tomorrow."
The assistant stammered, surprised. "Yes, President Mo. But… why?"
He didn't answer.
He only whispered to himself, "This time, I won't look away."